I was flipping through the New 52 Batverse and discovered something that I thought was interesting. Batman decided to set up something he called "Batman Inc." which was really an initiative to recruit different versions of Batman to fight crime in various places around Gotham and the world. Batman, after all is only one person so if his vision is to be truly realized he is going to need all the help he can get. Naturally the gears in my head started turning. What if..?
Brian closed the door to the auto shop and sighed. The cops wouldn't leave him alone, the press wouldn't leave him alone and his family wouldn't leave him alone. For some reason, just because he rescued several kids from a small gang they wanted claim he was a hero. Brian hated them for it but played along as far as his patience would allow. In his mind, had the politicians done their jobs instead of smoking cigars and soaking up paychecks he never would have had to don that mask in the first place. And to be honest he never really felt like a hero, he was only going after his own daughter who the gang had kidnapped. How was he supposed to know they were footmen in some grand child smuggling ring? He only wanted his daughter but in the end he couldn't just leave those other kids behind. And it was because of that everyone in the whole city was now trying to pretend they were his friend.
"And now you show up." Brian growled at Batman.
"You're a hero." he replied.
"So what else is new?" Brian pocketed the keys to his shop. "I'd ask to what do I owe the honor of this visit but I have a sneaky suspicion I already know."
"Oh?" Batman crossed his arms over his chest.
"Batman Inc. Am I close?" Brian copied Batman's gesture.
"I'm impressed." Batman nodded.
"Yeah well, I learned a few things tracking those animals down." Brian shrugged.
"You know more than most how bad it is in this city and you've proven yourself. Not everyone has the intelligence and the physical prowess to fight against a gang single-handedly." Batman replied.
"My dad told me the secret to taking out 5,000 enemies all by yourself." Brian continued.
"One at a time." Batman smiled.
"Now I'm the one who's impressed." Brian said.
"How do you think I've stayed alive this long?" Batman waved his hand in the air.
"Touche." Brian sighed again. "You know, getting handed a medal and shaking hands with politicians is one thing. But you..." Brian pointed at Batman. "You showing up changes everything."
"How so?"
"Because you care about the people. Politicians only care about their image. You actually fight for what they only promise to do. As much as I hate to admit it you coming to me about this somehow validates my public image." Brian put his hands in his pockets and started to pace back and forth.
"Hell the talk show circuit doesn't even care about me really. The host maybe but we both know they don't really run the show. The producers, the executives they just want ratings. I'm a pay check to them. Hell Batman, I didn't do that for those other kids I just wanted my daughter back. I didn't care about them when I started." Brian shrugged.
"Come on Brian, don't sell yourself short." Batman stepped forward in an almost threatening manner. "You tracked down a kidnapping ring and fought ten gang members with only a torque wrench and frisbees you duck taped razor blades to. When the police were stopped by their own greed you moved in and did what was right. The only thing that separates you from me is our budget."
"Yeah! You've got all the best gadgets Waynetech has to offer, I have whatever I can cobble together from Big 5 and Home Depot. Quite a difference." Brian shouted. Batman just chuckled.
"You noticed that did you?" he smiled.
"Oh come on, everyone knows you and Bruce Wayne are buddy-buddy. Its a no-brainer." Brian scowled.
"Here." Batman pulled the small box off his utility belt and tossed it to Brian. "You passed your entrance exam."
Brian examined the small box. "What's this?"
"Your very own piece of Waynetech. Welcome to Batman Incorporated." Batman turned away and held his grapple gun in the air.
"Hey wait, I never said 'yes!'" Brian tried to stop him from leaving.
"Yeah you did." Batman replied and fired the gun and flew away. Brian didn't bother to try and follow his path across the rooftops of San Jose.
"Yeah. I did." he repeated and shook his head.
So what would Bromopar look like if he was allowed to create his own Bat-persona? Stay tuned next week, same bat-blog, same bat-website!
